بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

The word ‘Islam’ means ‘Peace’. Other opinion about its meaning is ‘submission’ i.e to the will of God, which is again to spread peace and harmony in the world. Any fighting in the way of God mentioned in Quran is ideological fight with those who don’t want a peaceful World unless it is under their control. Surprisingly there are many, fascinated by the notion of Holy wars and conquests. That is why a lot of ideological fighting to spread the message of peaceful Islam, is required. The statement that our ‘Deen’/judgment is ‘al-Islam’ means that a believer has to judge and choose the way towards peace and security as described in al-Quran, in all situations encountered in life.

The word ‘Qital’/قتال means ‘fighting’, a fight can be physical or psychological. The word ‘Jihad’/جهاد means ‘to struggle’. The word ‘Harab’/حرب in Arabic, translates to war. An interesting thing to note is that the word ‘sword’/سيف is not mentioned even once in Quran although a popular notion in the West is that ‘Islam spread through sword’.

In this post we will review the topic of non physical i.e ideological fighting. We will review those ayas which are normally understood to mean physical fighting and see what is actually implied in the instructions.

The ayas relating to security should be studied carefully to understand the true intention in the context that our Judgment/(Deen) should be to attain Islam (Peace), otherwise tendency of many people is to spread mis-information about these orders;

4:83 وَإِذَا جَاءَهُمْ أَمْرٌ مِّنَ الْأَمْنِ أَوِ الْخَوْفِ أَذَاعُوا بِهِ ۖ وَلَوْ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ وَإِلَىٰ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْهُمْ لَعَلِمَهُ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَنبِطُونَهُ مِنْهُمْ ۗ وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لَاتَّبَعْتُمُ الشَّيْطَانَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

And when there comes to them an order relating to security or fear, they spread it. If they would have referred it to the Messenger and to those who give orders definitely the investigators among them would have known (the deduction of) it. And if the grace of Allah and His mercy have not been over you, you would have all followed the Satan except a few.

In the below ayas, Allah exposes those who are actually the trouble makers on Earth. They are those who say that they believe in Allah and the Hereafter, however, they do not themselves know that they are deceiving themselves. The inherent liking towards peace which Allah has instilled in mankind is belied by them without the realization of wrongdoing. The love of violence in their hearts is stated as a disease and ayahs of Allah, increase their disease. When they are told, not to do aggression on Earth, they say that we are doing it for a noble cause.

2:8-12   وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَبِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَمَا هُم بِمُؤْمِنِينَ  يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّا أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ  فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ اللَّهُ مَرَضًا ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَ  وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُصْلِحُونَ  أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْمُفْسِدُونَ وَلَٰكِن لَّا يَشْعُرُونَ

Of the people there are some who say. “We believe in Allah and the Last Day;” but they are not (really) with the believers. They  deceive Allah and those who believe, but they only deceive themselves, and realize (it) not! In their hearts is a disease; and Allah has increased their disease. And grievous is the penalty they (incur), because they belie (Allah & themselves). When it is said to them. “Do not make mischief/violence on the earth,” they say. “Why, we are the reformers!” Of a surety, they are the ones who make mischief/violence, but they realize (it) not.

Those people who fear Allah, do not stretch their hands out to harm others. The ayahs 5:27-28 state that the practice of those who fear Allah and take guard are those who, when some one stretches’ their hand to harm them they don’t stretch their hands to harm them back. They refer to Allah for taking retribution on their behalf. (See related post of Qasas : https://topicsfromquran.com/2017/06/04/qasas/)

5:27-28 وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ ابْنَيْ آدَمَ بِالْحَقِّ إِذْ قَرَّبَا قُرْبَانًا فَتُقُبِّلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِمَا وَلَمْ يُتَقَبَّلْ مِنَ الْآخَرِ قَالَ لَأَقْتُلَنَّكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ  لَئِن بَسَطتَ إِلَيَّ يَدَكَ لِتَقْتُلَنِي مَا أَنَا بِبَاسِطٍ يَدِيَ إِلَيْكَ لِأَقْتُلَكَ ۖ إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللَّهَ رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ

And recite over them the news in truth of the two sons of Adam. When they both gave sacrifice to be close (to Allah) then it was accepted from one of them and was not accepted from the other. “He said I will definitely kill you.” “He said surely Allah accepts (the sacrifice) from those who guard.” “If you will stretch out your hand towards me to kill me, I will not stretch out my hand towards you to kill you. Surely I fear Allah the Lord of the worlds.”

A grave evil act like murder will stay in the psyche of the perpetrator, will haunt him and eventually destroy his psychology. A person doing bad acts can not live peacefully like a person with clean conscience who does not have to fear everyday getting recompensed for his evil actions. If there is a choice, it is always better to leave the scene where some one attacks you to cause bodily harm.

5:32 مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَٰلِكَ كَتَبْنَا عَلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَنَّهُ مَن قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَا أَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا ۚ وَلَقَدْ جَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنْهُم بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فِي الْأَرْضِ لَمُسْرِفُونَ

From that time, We wrote over the children of Israeel that surely who killed a ‘nafs’/soul which is without a ‘nafs'(innocent) or not causing corruption/violence on the land, thus it is like the one who has killed all mankind. And who gives life to a ‘nafs’/soul then surely it is like the one who has given life to all mankind. And without doubt there has come to them Our messengers with clarifications. Then after that, surely amongst them majority are those who makes excesses on the earth.

Human life is held in great sanctity by al-Quran. Physical killing of a person who is not causing violence on land is a great burden like killing all mankind. Very strictly prohibited.

The Covenant:

Physical fighting and blood shed is not allowed in Allah’s covenant. This is the covenant which Allah takes from Bani Israeel i.e those who hold on to the Book, the ‘Command’ and the ‘Prophethood’ of Allah.

2:84  وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَكُمْ لَا تَسْفِكُونَ دِمَاءَكُمْ وَلَا تُخْرِجُونَ أَنفُسَكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ ثُمَّ أَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَشْهَدُونَ

And when We took a covenant with you, not to shed your blood and do not expel your-selves from your circles then you confirmed and you are witness to it.

From the above ayas we come to know that with regards to Qital/fighting, if we fear Allah, we cannot not engage in physical fighting. Allah had taken a covenant from before that we are not to shed our blood. Also in 2:195 Allah orders (لَا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ) i.e not to put your self to destruction with your own hands. Keeping in view these conditions, we can see, how and with whom to do Qital/fighting in the way of Allah:

9:29  قَاتِلُوا الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلَا بِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَلَا يُحَرِّمُونَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَلَا يَدِينُونَ دِينَ الْحَقِّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ حَتَّىٰ يُعْطُوا الْجِزْيَةَ عَن يَدٍ وَهُمْ صَاغِرُونَ

Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which has been made forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor they decide by the judgment of Truth, from the People who has been given the Book, until they pay tribute with their hands while being belittled.

Allah’s order to engage in ideological fight, is with those who don’t make it forbidden on them, what has been made forbidden by Allah. We will shortly see what is made forbidden by Allah in below ayas. This ideological fight is to be done with the People of the Book (not labeled Jews and Christians) but with those who have the Book (Al-Quran) however who do not really believe in Allah and accountability (Al-Akhira) and do not act on its injunctions of haram/forbidden acts. Why the ayat is about ideological fight as Allah does not force people to believe in Him (لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ/there is no compulsion in judgment) and his Laws, see below ayat 10:99.

10:99 وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ لَآمَنَ مَن فِي الْأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا ۚ أَفَأَنتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّىٰ يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ

If it had been your Lord’s will, they would all have believed,- all who are on earth! Will you (the Messenger) then compel mankind, against their will, to believe!

Above ayat very clearly state that if it had been Allah’s will, all people on Earth would become believers. However this is not the plan to force any one to believe in Allah so there is no question of fighting with unbelievers or forcing it on them.

The below ayat describes what is made forbidden by Allah:

6:151  قُلْ تَعَالَوْا أَتْلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ أَلَّا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا ۖ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا ۖ وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلَادَكُم مِّنْ إِمْلَاقٍ ۖ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْ ۖ وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ ۖ وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

Say. “Come, I will rehearse what Allah has prohibited on you ” Do not join anything in partnership with Him; Do good deeds to your parents; Do not kill your children for fear of poverty;- We provide sustenance for you and for them;- do not come near shameful acts whether openly or secretly; and do not kill a nafs/life, which Allah has made forbidden, except with Haq/truth, thus He enjoins you, so that you may use your intellect.

7:33  قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالْإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَأَن تُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَأَن تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

Say. my Lord has indeed forbidden shameful acts, whether open or secret; sins and unjust trespassing; and that you associate with Allah for whom He has sent down no authority; and that you say things about Allah which you do not know (for certain).

The above ayas state what is made forbidden by Allah. The ideological fight ordained as per 9:29, is with those people who associate with Allah, do obscenity, say things about Allah which are not verified by Quran, and kill what is made forbidden by Allah. And remember, ideological fight is a non physical fight in which extending your hand and shedding blood is not allowed. If some one, rejects this peaceful message of Allah and do physical fighting on order of those who make ways in the religion (sharia) and clothe these orders as part of ‘Deen’, then Allah says that no body can be a bigger oppressor than him, as he will then be tarnishing the image of peaceful Islam.

61:7 وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ وَهُوَ يُدْعَىٰ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

Who does greater wrong/cruelty than one who invents falsehood against Allah, even as he is being invited to Islam/Peace? And Allah guides not those who do wrong.

The person who is invited towards Al-Islam/(the Peace) and then he belies this invitation and instead choose a way of agression, then as per above ayat, nobody can be a bigger oppressor than him.

Allah orders the believers to immerse themselves fully in Peace and security and not to follow Satan, as Satan tries to sow seeds of enmity among them.

2:208  يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ادْخُلُوا فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ ۚ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ

O’ People who believe, enter into peace completely; and follow not the footsteps of Satan for he is an open enemy to you.

In all situations of life, the believers are to choose the judgment/option of peace and security. Judgments other than of peace are not acceptable to Allah.

3:85  وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

If anyone desires a Deen/Judgment other than Islam/Peace, never will it be accepted of him and in the hereafter he will be from those who are the losers.

That is the circle of hereafter which is made for the believers who don’t want violence and war fare on the land.

28:83  تِلْكَ الدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ نَجْعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فَسَادًا ۚ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

That Home/circle of the Hereafter, We give to those who intend no high-handedness nor mischief on earth and the end is (best) for the righteous.

Those people who fight with the believers in their judgment/Deen of Peace as mentioned above and cast them out of the circles of faith and instigate others to caste them out too, believers are prevented to make these people their patrons/guardians. Those people who don’t cast the believers out of their circles of faith (does not label them as infidels if their beliefs differ), Allah does not prevent believers to do good to them.

60:8-9  لَّا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ  إِنَّمَا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ قَاتَلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَأَخْرَجُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ وَظَاهَرُوا عَلَىٰ إِخْرَاجِكُمْ أَن تَوَلَّوْهُمْ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُمْ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ

Allah does not prevent you with regards to those who do not fight with you and do not drive you out of your circles, from dealing kindly and justly with them, for Allah loves those who are just. Verily, Allah prevents you, with regard to those who fight with you in Deen/judgment, and drive you out of your circles, and support (others) in driving you out, from turning to them for patronage. If any turns to them for patronage, then those are the unjust ones.

Allah does not allow violence and blood-shed on earth. The criminals do violence, agression and blood shed on Earth. Allah is asking would He equate these criminals with those who believe in the peaceful message of Islam.

28:38  أَمْ نَجْعَلُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ كَالْمُفْسِدِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَمْ نَجْعَلُ الْمُتَّقِينَ كَالْفُجَّارِ

Shall We make those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, the likes of those who do Fasad/violence/mischief on earth? Shall We make those who guard against evil, the same as those who turn aside from the right?

68:35  أَفَنَجْعَلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ كَالْمُجْرِمِينَ

Would We make the Muslims/submitters like the criminals?

They actually tarnish the image of Muslims/sumbitters (to the Will of God) in the eyes of the world and order with violence on Earth and blood shed, in the name of ‘Jihad’. It is because they don’t take orders from Allah’s Book, which does not allow blood shed but they take orders from other books and patrons, and these people have no reckoning that they are themselves the troublemakers. They are misleads by the partners/associaters.

68:36-41  مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ  أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَابٌ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ  إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ  أَمْ لَكُمْ أَيْمَانٌ عَلَيْنَا بَالِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ۙ إِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَ  سَلْهُمْ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ   أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ فَلْيَأْتُوا بِشُرَكَائِهِمْ إِن كَانُوا صَادِقِينَ

What is the matter with you? How do you judge? Or for you is a book through which you have taken lesson? In it (the other book), do you find anything you want? Or, have you received solemn assurances from us that grant you whatever you wish till the Day of Resurrection? Ask them, which of them is the guarantor of that! Or have they some “partners” (in Allah)? Then let them come with their “partners”, if they are truthful!

The partners for them (in Allah) give orders of violence and cloak these orders under the garb of ‘Shariat’ and ‘Jihad’. The partners are those who make ‘Shariat’ i.e write shriat/Fiqh books.

42:21  أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُوا لَهُم مِّنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَن بِهِ اللَّهُ ۚ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةُ الْفَصْلِ لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۗ وَإِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

Do they have partners, who have established for them ways in religion (Shariat), without the permission of Allah? Had it not been for the decree of Judgment, the matter would have been decided between them (at once). But verily the wrong-doers will have a grievous penalty.

The ‘Mushrikeen’ are those who follow Allah’s orders and also the orders of others (6:137). The partners/Shuraka are those who make ‘Shariat’ for them (42:21). These ‘Shuraka’s; have ordered them to wage war and do violence on earth and they have termed these orders as ‘Deen;/Judgment making it appear as Holy war and make dying for this cause as alluring to people.

6:137 وَكَذَٰلِكَ زَيَّنَ لِكَثِيرٍ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ قَتْلَ أَوْلَادِهِمْ شُرَكَاؤُهُمْ لِيُرْدُوهُمْ وَلِيَلْبِسُوا عَلَيْهِمْ دِينَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا فَعَلُوهُ ۖ فَذَرْهُمْ وَمَا يَفْتَرُونَ

Likewise for many associaters, their partners (in Allah, who issue orders/fatwas) have made alluring, the killing of their children, to destroy them and to clothe this order with Deen/judgement. If Allah had willed they would have not done so; so leave them alone and their inventions.

Then Allah in below ayat mentions the characteristics of those who assume that they are believers but actually get the orders of violence from Satan.

4:60  أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُوا إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُوا أَن يَكْفُرُوا بِهِ وَيُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَن يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا

Have you not seen those who assume with pride that they believe in what has been sent down on you (the Messenger pbuh) and to that before you? Their intention is to resort for judgment to the ‘Taghut’ (Rebellious/Violent one), though they were ordered to reject him. But Satan’s intention is to lead them astray far away.

The above ayat states that there are people who assume that they are believer of what has been revealed on the Messenger (pbuh), however, they still want their judge to be the ‘Taghoot’, and indeed they are ordered to reject the ‘Taghut’. The word ‘Taghut’ is from ‘Tagha’ and in it core implies crossing limits, rebellion and violent unjust harshness. So, these people think that they believe in what has been revealed on the Messenger, but actually they end up following the judgment of the violent, rebellious, ‘Taghut’.

22:40  الَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُوا مِن دِيَارِهِم بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ إِلَّا أَن يَقُولُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ۗ وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُم بِبَعْضٍ لَّهُدِّمَتْ صَوَامِعُ وَبِيَعٌ وَصَلَوَاتٌ وَمَسَاجِدُ يُذْكَرُ فِيهَا اسْمُ اللَّهِ كَثِيرًا ۗ وَلَيَنصُرَنَّ اللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَقَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ

Those who have been expelled from their circles unjustly,- because of their statement that, “Our Lord is Allah”, If it were not that Allah defended one set of people with another, there would surely have been destroyed monastries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which Allah’s name is remembered in abundance. Allah will certainly help those who help in His (cause);- for verily Allah is Powerful, Exalted in Might.

Those people who make Allah their Lord (they do not take instructions and orders other than from Allah), they are hated by people bent on violence and war-mongering activities, and they are ousted out of their circles of faith by the disbelievers. The disbelievers label them as an ousted caste. Had Allah not defended the people of the world from these violent people, there would have been great destruction in the world. The violent ones and terrorists would not even leave people going to their prayer places and mosques, they may try to bomb them there as well.

2:204-205 وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يُعْجِبُكَ قَوْلُهُ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيُشْهِدُ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا فِي قَلْبِهِ وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ الْخِصَامِ وَإِذَا تَوَلَّىٰ سَعَىٰ فِي الْأَرْضِ لِيُفْسِدَ فِيهَا وَيُهْلِكَ الْحَرْثَ وَالنَّسْلَ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفَسَادَ

And of the people there is one who amazes you with his speech in the worldly life and he calls Allah as witness to what is in his heart but (actually) he is the most fiercely quarrelsome (person). and when he turns he makes effort in the land to cause violence in it and destroy the crops/property and lives and Allah does not like fasad / violence.

Above ayas ask you to be beware such a person who makes awesome speeches to stir people’s emotions and motivate them to action. He would swear by Allah and make Allah his witness for what is in his heart, but actually he would be fiercely quarrelsome person who would strive to cause violence and destroy property and lives in his aspiration to get control of the land.

28:15-17 وَدَخَلَ الْمَدِينَةَ عَلَىٰ حِينِ غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ أَهْلِهَا فَوَجَدَ فِيهَا رَجُلَيْنِ يَقْتَتِلَانِ هَٰذَا مِن شِيعَتِهِ وَهَٰذَا مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ ۖ فَاسْتَغَاثَهُ الَّذِي مِن شِيعَتِهِ عَلَى الَّذِي مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ فَوَكَزَهُ مُوسَىٰ فَقَضَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ۖ قَالَ هَٰذَا مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ ۖ إِنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ مُّضِلٌّ مُّبِينٌ قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَغَفَرَ لَهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَا أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ فَلَنْ أَكُونَ ظَهِيرًا لِّلْمُجْرِمِينَ

And when (Moosa) entered the city at a time when its people were inattentive, then he found two men fighting in it. One was from his sect and the other one from his enemy. So the one from his sect saught his aid over the one from his enemy. Thus Moosa struck him with a fist which ended (his life, albeit unintentionally). He (Moosa) said “this is from the work of Satan. Surely he is a clear misleading enemy.” He said “O’ my Lord surely I have oppressed myself, so have forgiveness for me.” Then He (Allah) forgave him. Surely He is all Forgiving, all Merciful. And he (Moosa) said “O’ my Lord, with what You have blessed over me, then definitely I will never back up those who are criminals.”

The above ayas relate to an event related to prophet Moosa (a.s) with the lesson that when people of your sect ask you and try to engage you emotionally into physical fighting with another adverse sect then you should know that physical fighting and killing is an act of Satan, so never be the one backing those groups.

Jihad:

The word ‘Jihad’ means to strive or struggle. ‘Jihad’ is the struggle which is done with Al-Quran. This indeed is a great struggle. The good of the ‘Akhira’ is for those who don’t cause violence and high handedness on Earth. So believers are ordered to do a great struggle with al-Quran with those who order aggression on Earth.

Allah wants the believers to make efforts in line with the Spirit of the His Book to understand and act upon Allah’s ayas and spread His message to mankind. Commonly in the non-Muslim World, the word ‘Jihad’ is considered as physical warfare. We will review the ayas related to ‘Jihad’ in Al-Quran to see its intention:

29:69  وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا ۚ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

And those who ‘jahadoo’ / strive in Us, definitely We will guide them of Our ways and surely Allah is with those who are Mohsineen/who do good.

To strive / make Jihad in Allah’s way is to act upon Allah’s ayas. Those who do ‘Jihad’, strive and struggle in Allah (i.e Allah’s ayas) they are guided by Allah and they may become ‘doers of good’.

5:35  يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ وَجَاهِدُوا فِي سَبِيلِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

O’ you people who believe take guard of Allah and seek the means towards Him and strive in His way so that you may succeed.

The ‘means’ towards Allah and His good pleasures is His message i.e Book given to mankind for their guidance. Please see previous post ‘Waseela’ (https://topicsfromquran.com/2018/09/08/waseela-facilitation-towards-approach-to-allah/). Allah wants the believers to seek means towards Allah and strive in His ways so that they may achieve success.

25:52  فَلَا تُطِعِ الْكَافِرِينَ وَجَاهِدْهُم بِهِ جِهَادًا كَبِيرًا

So you do not obey the rejecters and jahid / Strive against them with this (i.e. Al-Quran) that is the great jihad / Strive.

The big Jihad/strive is to strive with al-Quran with those who reject the Sprit of Quran (or try to replace with a deviant spirit).

8:73 وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ إِلَّا تَفْعَلُوهُ تَكُن فِتْنَةٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَفَسَادٌ كَبِيرٌ

And those who reject (i.e. Islam/Peace) are protectors of one another, unless you do this (i.e. protect each other) there would be temptation and great corruption/violence on Earth.

The people who hold the opposite view i.e they reject the message of ‘Peace’ of Allah and think that Jihad is physical ware-fare, and they incite the people on aggression, the believers are asked to help each other in spreading the peaceful message of Islam against these rejecters. Otherwise, there will be great ‘Fasad’/violence on Earth.

3:142  أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا مِنكُمْ وَيَعْلَمَ الصَّابِرِينَ

Or do you assume that you will enter garden and whereas Allah knows those who strive amongst you and knows who are the patient ones.

To strive/make efforts in way of Allah, and patience goes hand in hand, as you are bound to hear a lot of painful incriminations from associators and those who were reading the Book before you but without understanding the true Spirit of the Book.

3:186  لَتُبْلَوُنَّ فِي أَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ وَلَتَسْمَعُنَّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا أَذًى كَثِيرًا ۚ وَإِن تَصْبِرُوا وَتَتَّقُوا فَإِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ

Certainly you shall be tested in your wealth and in your nafs (psyche); and you shall certainly hear  from those who were given the Book before you and from those who joined partners (with Allah) a lot of annoying things. And if you persevere patiently, and take guard against evil,-then surely that is of the strengthened resolve.

9:20  الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً عِندَ اللَّهِ ۚ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَائِزُونَ

Those who believe, and migrated (in belief) and strive, in Allah’s cause, with their wealth and their self/psyche, have the highest rank in the sight of Allah. They are the people who will achieve (salvation).

Those who believe and migrate (in belief) and strive/make efforts in the Way of Allah by spending their money and controlling their ‘nafs’, they are held in a high rank with Allah. The first step is to believe in ayas of Allah and migrate in belief from their previous belief system which was without gaining the spirit of ayas of Allah. This is migration in belief. After migration, people can strive with their wealth and ‘nafs’ with Quran. (See previous post ‘Migration in belief’)

29:6  وَمَن جَاهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَاهِدُ لِنَفْسِهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ

And whosoever strives (in the way of Allah) so surely he strives for his nafs/self/psyche. Surely Allah is free of any need from the worlds.

Who ever strives/ do Jihad, does so for his own Nafs/self, while Allah is not in need of anything in the Universe.

22:78  وَجَاهِدُوا فِي اللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ ۚ هُوَ اجْتَبَاكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ ۚ

And you strive in Allah as it is rightful of striving in Him. He has chosen you and He has made no difficulty over you in the Deen/Judgment……

Above is is a portion of ayat 22:78 and it asks the submitters to strive/make efforts in Allah (i.e Allah’s ways) as is rightful to make these efforts and Allah has put no (physical) hardship in the judgment. Allah has bestowed so many blessings on us. If he takes away a single blessing for testing us, we come under so much hardship. Isn’t it rightful for us to take some time out of our daily routine to strive in Allah and His ayah’s. There is no ‘Haraj’/ physical hardship in doing this struggle.

29:8  وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حُسْنًا ۖ وَإِن جَاهَدَاكَ لِتُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا ۚ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

We have enjoined on human beings, kindness to parents, but if they strive/make efforts with you to join with Me, anything of which you have no knowledge, then don’t obey them. You (all) have to return to Me, and I will tell you (the truth) of all that you did.

If the parents, strive with you to associate any one in Allah and His orders for which Allah has not revealed any authority, then in this matter, they are not to be followed. However, other than this matter, our conduct with parents must be the best possible one.

9:24  قُلْ إِن كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُوا حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ

Say if your forefathers and your sons and your brothers and your pairs and your near ones and the wealth to which you are committed and the businesses in which you fear a slump and the residences in which you are pleased. You love them more than Allah and His messenger and ‘jihad’ in His way then you wait until Allah comes with His order. And Allah does not guide the people who are dissolute / immoral.

If you have got the Spirit of Allah’s ayas, and if striving in Allah’s way and spreading His Word, will put you in confrontation with your relatives/community or may harm you in your business. If this prevents you from striving in Allah’s way and spreading His message, then wait till Allah comes with His orders. Those who take liberty with Allah’s orders, they are not guided by Allah.

8:72  إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ آوَوا وَّنَصَرُوا أُولَٰئِكَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يُهَاجِرُوا مَا لَكُم مِّن وَلَايَتِهِم مِّن شَيْءٍ حَتَّىٰ يُهَاجِرُوا ۚ وَإِنِ اسْتَنصَرُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ النَّصْرُ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُم مِّيثَاقٌ ۗ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

Surely those who believe and who migrate (in belief) and jahadoo / they strive with their wealth and with their self/psyche in the way of Allah and those who give shelter and help (them) they are protectors of one another. And those who believe and do not migrate it is not (a duty) for you to protect them from anything until they migrate (in belief). And if they seek your help in the judgment (i.e. Islam/peace) then (duty) over you is that you help them except over the people there is a covenant between you and them. And Allah has insight with what you do.

‘Hijrat’/Migration is basically migration in belief/(Iman), when you migrate from your belief which you inherited from your community to the belief according to ayas of Allah. Please see previous post on migration in belief (https://topicsfromquran.wordpress.com/2018/08/04/migration-in-belief/ ). The believers strive in ways of Allah and those people who had migrated earlier help them in this cause. The people who have migrated in belief, have an obligation to protect the newly migrated believers as their community may be at odds with them over their change in belief. In some countries, however the law may not permit you to preach religious beliefs, in these countries you should not go against law of the land.

 8:60  وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُم مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم مِّن قُوَّةٍ وَمِن رِّبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ تُرْهِبُونَ بِهِ عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ وَآخَرِينَ مِن دُونِهِمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَهُمُ اللَّهُ يَعْلَمُهُمْ ۚ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا مِن شَيْءٍ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تُظْلَمُونَ

And for them you prepare (in establishing Islam/Peace) to what you have the capability in strength and reining in the horses (applying restraint) so that you terrorize with it, the enemies of Allah and your enemies and others besides them who you do not know, but Allah knows them, and whatsoever you spend from anything in the way of Allah, you will be repaid in full and you will not be oppressed.

Enemies of the believers are the terrorists, the violent war-mongers. So, Allah’s order is to terrorize your enemies with great preparations as restraint for them to attack you. Terrorize them with all preparations and restraint akin to controlling a violent horse with reins i.e to display dignity, calmness and perseverance. In addition to be prepared with the equipment and training so that it acts as a restraint against any terrorist attack, deep preparation in Quran is required to counter the wrong interpretation of Allah’s Book which increases terrorist groups in their violent sentiments (5:64). Violent groups will be terrorized of you, if all their violent interpretations of Quran are responded with true Quranic Spirit of Peace. 

4:75-76  وَمَا لَكُمْ لَا تُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاءِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هَٰذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ الظَّالِمِ أَهْلُهَا وَاجْعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّا وَاجْعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ نَصِيرًا  الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۖ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ الطَّاغُوتِ فَقَاتِلُوا أَوْلِيَاءَ الشَّيْطَانِ ۖ إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا

And what is the matter with you that you do-not fight in the way of Allah and the weak among- men, women, and children, those who say. “Our Lord! rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors; and appoint from your nearness a wali/protector/guardian for us; and appoint from your nearness a helper for us.

Those who believe, fight in the cause of Allah, and those who reject, fight in the cause of Taghut/trangression/rebeliousness. So you fight against the patrons of Satan, feeble indeed is the scheme of Satan.

The violent groups if they gain control over certain region and establish their rule on that land they will persecute people with draconian laws of their own interpretation. Allah asks, why would the believers not fight with them so that they might leave their deviant way. In recent past, World has witnessed atrocities on weak women, children and men committed by violent groups who share common ideology of violence and war fare. 

The believers engage in ideological fight in the way of Allah, the way of peace and security, and the rejecters of this Islam/Peace fight in spreading transgression and ware fare on earth. 

4:97-99  إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنفُسِهِمْ قَالُوا فِيمَ كُنتُمْ ۖ قَالُوا كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ قَالُوا أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضُ اللَّهِ وَاسِعَةً فَتُهَاجِرُوا فِيهَا ۚ فَأُولَٰئِكَ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا  إِلَّا الْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاءِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ حِيلَةً وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ سَبِيلًا  فَأُولَٰئِكَ عَسَى اللَّهُ أَن يَعْفُوَ عَنْهُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَفُوًّا غَفُورًا

Verily, when angels are taking lives of those who were unjust to their ‘nafs’, they say. “In what (plight) were you?” They reply “We were weak in the Earth.” They say. “Was not the Earth of Allah spacious enough for you to have migrated?” For those the abode is in Hell, what an evil abode! Except for those weak among – men, women, and children – who have no means in their power, nor are guided for the way. For them, hopefully that Allah will forgive them and Allah is forgiving and pardoner.

Those people who are trapped in a land which is in control of cruel rulers, then Allah does not want people to be still living in that land and be unjust to their souls. All Earth belongs to Allah and those oppressed in the land should make efforts to leave from that land for better prospects and future for their off-springs. Only those very weak who don’t have the resources and cannot make the move could be pardoned by Allah for not migrating. Example in Quran is of prophet Moosa (a.s) and the Pharaoh. Pharaoh, was tormenting a section of his masses. Prophet Moosa (a.s) made efforts to make the tormented people migrate from that land on which they were oppressed. When they made the move Allah by his Grace, made them the inheritors of the land and removed the tormenters from there.

4;84  فَقَاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لَا تُكَلَّفُ إِلَّا نَفْسَكَ ۚ وَحَرِّضِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۖ عَسَى اللَّهُ أَن يَكُفَّ بَأْسَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ۚ وَاللَّهُ أَشَدُّ بَأْسًا وَأَشَدُّ تَنكِيلًا

Thus fight in Allah’s cause – There is no hardship in it for you except for your soul (nafs) – and rouse the believers. It may be that Allah will restrain the strength of the rejecters; for Allah is the severest in strength and severest in punishment.

Fighting in the way of Allah is not physical fight, it is ideological fight. There is no hard ship in it except on your Nafs/phyche. The believers will prevail in this psychological fight as they are advised to be patient and the non believers are those who don’t have knowledge (of Spirit of Al-Quran)

The instruction from Allah is to fight but holding back your hands i.e not physical fighting but ideological fight. For this ideological fight lot of preparation, perseverance and restraint is required.

4:77 أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ قِيلَ لَهُمْ كُفُّوا أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقِتَالُ إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَخْشَوْنَ النَّاسَ كَخَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ أَوْ أَشَدَّ خَشْيَةً ۚ وَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا لِمَ كَتَبْتَ عَلَيْنَا الْقِتَالَ لَوْلَا أَخَّرْتَنَا إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ ۗ قُلْ مَتَاعُ الدُّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّمَنِ اتَّقَىٰ وَلَا تُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا

Have you not turned your vision to those who were told to hold back their hands (no physical fighting) and establish prayers and give zakat/justification? thus when fighting was written on them, a section of them fear people as they fear Allah or even more and they said. “Our Lord! Why did you write fighting on us? Why didn’t You grant us respite for more time?” You say. “the provisions of this world are but small, and the Hereafter is better for those who take guard of Allah and you will not be dealt unjustly the very least.

Allah ordered people to hold their hands and establish salat and give zakat to increase in understanding of Allah’s ayahs, after that they can do fighting. But the order of holding off the hands is not released. They are not to do physical fighting but ideological fight. The opposition is strong with huge ammunition and material gathered over centuries by their like minded people. So, fighting with them is not easy however, Allah still wants believers to fight with them after establishing as- salat which should increase them in their understanding of Allah’s Book.

9:111 إِنَّ اللَّهَ اشْتَرَىٰ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُم بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الْجَنَّةَ ۚ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَيَقْتُلُونَ وَيُقْتَلُونَ ۖ وَعْدًا عَلَيْهِ حَقًّا فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنجِيلِ وَالْقُرْآنِ ۚ وَمَنْ أَوْفَىٰ بِعَهْدِهِ مِنَ اللَّهِ ۚ فَاسْتَبْشِرُوا بِبَيْعِكُمُ الَّذِي بَايَعْتُم بِهِ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

Surely Allah has purchased from the believers their Nafs and their wealth, (in return) is garden for them. They fight in the way of Allah then they kill (their nafs) and get killed (their nafs). A promise on Him in truth in At-Taurat (The Law) and Al-Injeel (The Good news) and in Al-Quran (The Reading). And who can fulfill with his promise than Allah then rejoice with your deal that you bargained with Him, and that is the supreme achievement

As we saw above, the fighting in the way of Allah is not physical fighting as Allah guides those who are killed in the way of Allah after they get killed(47:6). You need deep understanding of Allah’s Book for killing the ‘nafs’. so that the nafs is free of desires. After that their ‘nafs’ is purchased by Allah and they can then fight ideologically with believers of deviant and violent philosophies. Allah says to be joyful and celebrate the deal that has been made with Allah. The joy and celebrations comes with the life that has been given to the ‘nafs’ after being purchased by Allah. The joy and celebrations do not come with spreading violence and blood shed on land.

6:122 أَوَمَن كَانَ مَيْتًا فَأَحْيَيْنَاهُ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُ نُورًا يَمْشِي بِهِ فِي النَّاسِ كَمَن مَّثَلُهُ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ لَيْسَ بِخَارِجٍ مِّنْهَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

And the one who was dead, thus We gave him life, and made for him a light, whereby he walks amongst people; can he be like the one who is in the depths of darkness, from which he can never come out? Similiarly it is made alluring for the kafireen/rejectors what they do.

The dead and live in the eyes of the Lord are different than what we perceive. The dead in the eyes of the Lord are those who may be alive physically but devoid of the light of the understanding of Allah’s Book in them. To whom Allah desires, He can guide to give life to a dead ‘nafs’.

3:179 وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتًا ۚ بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ

Do not think of those who are killed in the way of Allah as dead, but they are alive, they get sustenance in the nearness of their Lord.

The people whose ‘nafs’ is killed in the way of Allah they get their sustenance from the nearness of Allah.

9:33  هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ

It is He who has sent His messenger with the guidance and with the Deen (Judgment) of truth so that he makes it prevail on all (other alternative) judgments, even if those who associate (with Allah) dislike it.

There is a Deen/judgment as per guidance of al-Quran and then there are alternatives judgments as per other religious books in the world. So, Allah sends his Messenger to clarify and prevail the judgment according to Quran over all other judgments that people may take according to the situations encountered in their life. The people who take orders from Allah and also take orders from others in religious matters, they are the associaters (mushrikeen). They are not likely to be pleased with the Deen/judgment proclaimed by the Messenger. Unfortunately, according to the Quran (12:106) most of the people who believe in Allah are associaters at the same time perhaps unwittingly. These associaters will be arguing with Allah on the day of judgment that they were not associaters (6:123  ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُن فِتْنَتُهُمْ إِلَّا أَن قَالُوا وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ, Translation: There will then be no temptation for them but to say,  “By Allah our Lord, we were not those who took partners)

The messenger is not here to force the judgment of Truth over people as his duty is to convey only so that people can make their judgment on their own. Messenger will only show that judgment of Quran is superior to all other judgments. As the associaters and their sources of alternative judgments are quite large in numbers, a prophet has to rouse and prepare the believers for ideological confrontation with them.

8:65-66  يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ حَرِّضِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى الْقِتَالِ ۚ إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَابِرُونَ يَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّائَةٌ يَغْلِبُوا أَلْفًا مِّنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ  الْآنَ خَفَّفَ اللَّهُ عَنكُمْ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ فِيكُمْ ضَعْفًا ۚ فَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّائَةٌ صَابِرَةٌ يَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ أَلْفٌ يَغْلِبُوا أَلْفَيْنِ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ

O Prophet! rouse the believers to the fight . If there are twenty patient ones amongst you , they will overpower two hundred. if a hundred, they will overpower a thousand of the Unbelievers. For these are a people without understanding. For the present, Allah has lightened your (task), for He knows that there is some weakness in you. But (even so), if there are a hundred of you, patient and persevering, they will overpower two hundred, and if a thousand, they will overpower two thousand, with the leave of Allah. for Allah is with the patient ones

Consider an example conversation; ‘you are able to jog about 10KM, however, as you are starting now, your stamina is not up-to the mark at this time, therefore in the beginning, you will be able to cover up-to 2 KM and if you keep on practicing you can achieve your capacity of 10KM.’ As the believer’s faith increases and the Sprit of Al-Quran increase their understanding of Quran, they will be able to take more and more of the unbeliever’s interpretation of Quran in their ideological fight against them.

Also worth noting is that the words used for the description of believers who will be overpowering their adversary in ayahs 8:55-56 are the ‘patient ones’. If it were meant to be physical fight, the motivational word to we may expect for the fighting believers would be ‘the brave’ /شجاع ones, however, Quran instead uses the word ‘الصَّابِرِينَ’ the patient ones. The word ‘bravery/شجاعة’ which is normally associated in a physical war is not once used in Quran.

The War/’Harab’

In Quran, the only declaration of ‘Harab’/war with Allah and the messenger is against those believers who don’t desist from taking ‘Riba’/the increase. ‘Riba’ is an increase which you make in your wealth by not paying Allah’s due share. The declaration of war in Al-Quran is not with infidels and non-believers.

278-279  يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَذَرُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ  فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُوا فَأْذَنُوا بِحَرْبٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ۖ وَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَلَكُمْ رُءُوسُ أَمْوَالِكُمْ لَا تَظْلِمُونَ وَلَا تُظْلَمُونَ

O’ you who believe, take guard of Allah and leave off, what remains from Ar-Riba/The increase , if you are believers. Then if you do not, (leave off, what remains from Ar-Riba),so take a notice of war from Allah and His messenger. And if you turn back, so for you are the heads of your wealth. You do not oppress and you will not be oppressed.

When believers meet the people who reject the ayah’s of Allah, the order is to strike at their necks. The necks are where virtual yokes are fixed. So the strike is to release the yokes from their necks. When they are overpowered then bonds to be tightened and after that either compensation to be taken or shown generosity on them.

47:4  فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَضَرْبَ الرِّقَابِ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا أَثْخَنتُمُوهُمْ فَشُدُّوا الْوَثَاقَ فَإِمَّا مَنًّا بَعْدُ وَإِمَّا فِدَاءً حَتَّىٰ تَضَعَ الْحَرْبُ أَوْزَارَهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ وَلَوْ يَشَاءُ اللَّهُ لَانتَصَرَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَٰكِن لِّيَبْلُوَ بَعْضَكُم بِبَعْضٍ ۗ وَالَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَلَن يُضِلَّ أَعْمَالَهُمْ

When you meet the people who rejected (belief), strike at the necks; until when you have thoroughly subdued them, then make firm the bond. Thereafter either favor or compensation until the war lays down its burdens. Thus, but if it had been Allah’s Will, He could certainly have helped Himself (by punishing) of them; but to test you, some with others. But those who are killed in the way of Allah,- He will never let their deeds go astray.

For the people who are killed in the way of the Lord, Allah informs that He will soon guide them and correct & improve their condition, which proves that its not physical death and fighting that was being mentioned here. There is no point in guiding a person after his death as after physical death there is accountability only not guidance. This proves that the ayat 47:4 is not about physical warfare.

47:5-6   سَيَهْدِيهِمْ وَيُصْلِحُ بَالَهُمْ  وَيُدْخِلُهُمُ الْجَنَّةَ عَرَّفَهَا لَهُمْ

Soon He will guide them and correct their condition and admit them to the Garden which He has made known to them.

8:67-71  مَا كَانَ لِنَبِيٍّ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُ أَسْرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ يُثْخِنَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ تُرِيدُونَ عَرَضَ الدُّنْيَا وَاللَّهُ يُرِيدُ الْآخِرَةَ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ  لَّوْلَا كِتَابٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ سَبَقَ لَمَسَّكُمْ فِيمَا أَخَذْتُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ  فَكُلُوا مِمَّا غَنِمْتُمْ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ  يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُل لِّمَن فِي أَيْدِيكُم مِّنَ الْأَسْرَىٰ إِن يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ خَيْرًا يُؤْتِكُمْ خَيْرًا مِّمَّا أُخِذَ مِنكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ  وَإِن يُرِيدُوا خِيَانَتَكَ فَقَدْ خَانُوا اللَّهَ مِن قَبْلُ فَأَمْكَنَ مِنْهُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ

It is not fitting for a prophet that he has Isra’s/captives unless he is thoroughly made immovable/helpless in the land. You people look for the temporal goods of this world; but Allah intends for the Hereafter. And Allah is Exalted in might, Wise.

Had it not been previously written down by Allah, a severe penalty would have reached you for what you people have taken. So, enjoy what you have saved, lawful and good. but fear Allah, for Allah is oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. O Prophet! say to ‘Isras’/captives, “If Allah finds any good in your hearts, He will give you something better than what has been taken from you, and He will forgive you, for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.” But if they have intentions of treachery against you, (O Prophet!), they have already been treacherous against Allah, and so He had them stay put, and Allah has knowledge and wisdom.

 In the above ayas, it seems that a prophet can only have Isra’s/captives when he is thoroughly subdued in the land i.e is not able to accomplish much. ‘Isras’ are captives in the way of belief. In contrast to ‘Muhajireen’/Migrators who have already migrated in belief from their previous belief system to the path of  Allah’s and Messenger’s, the ‘Isras’ are those, who are captives in that path, i.e they have not yet made the move of abandoning their old system of belief to the new circle of Muhajireen in belief.  Social, family and other taboos prevent them to adopt the new circle of faith. Although they have been thoroughly outwitted and their previous belief system destroyed in ideological fight with believers in the light of ayas of Allah (see Ayat 47:4 in previous post of this series). The Isra/Captives don’t want to fight with their Nafs/psychology, however, they could be willing to support the cause of the Messenger of Allah with financial support.

21:107 وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ

We did not sent to (the messenger), but as a Mercy for all worlds.

The ayat 8:67 is translated by some that a prophet of God cannot make captives until he does a lot of bloodshed on land. Visualizing a prophet of God spilling a lot of blood of man-kind is against the verdict by Allah that He has but sent him as a mercy and ‘Rahma’ for all the worlds. So visualizing a prophet of God, doing complete antihalation of enemies and blood shed on land, is so abhorrent. Prophet is a mercy for all worlds not a mercy for his party only. He only shows strictness to those people who despite being shown the straight path with the help of ayahs of Allah, stick to their formal belief and grow in disbelief. Even then is it strictness in ideological discussion not physical fighting.

2:30 وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً ۖ قَالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

And when your Lord said to the angels “I will make a ‘khalifa’ on earth.” They said. “Will You place therein one who will make violence therein and spill blood?- while we do celebrate Your praises and glorify Your holy (name)?” He said. “I know what you know not.”

Allah’s ‘khalifa’/vicegerent on Earth, does not spill blood and do violence on Earth. To associate fabricated stories about the prophets of Allah doing that is very wrong understanding.

5:33-34   إِنَّمَا جَزَاءُ الَّذِينَ يُحَارِبُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَسَادًا أَن يُقَتَّلُوا أَوْ يُصَلَّبُوا أَوْ تُقَطَّعَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُم مِّنْ خِلَافٍ أَوْ يُنفَوْا مِنَ الْأَرْضِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لَهُمْ خِزْيٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَهُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ  إِلَّا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَقْدِرُوا عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

Surely the reward of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and they move around in the earth to cause corruption/violence, is that they will be killed, or they will be crucified, or their hands and feet will be cut off from the opposite sides or they will be exiled from the land. For them, is disgrace in this world and in the hereafter is a great punishment.  Except those who repent before you gain control over them, then you should know that surely Allah is all forgiving, all merciful.

Those people who are doing physical fighting, war-mongering and corruption in the world, will automatically meet one of the described fates mentioned in the above ayat as a result of their violent activities. Except for those on which the believers were able to control by showing their wrong ways and then they doing repentance.  This is not a punishment that believers are asked by Allah to inflict on them. Also, please note there is only one declaration of war/harab by Allah and the messengers in Quran, and that is only with those believers who don’t cease to eat Riba/the increase and the Satan has influenced them as such as they look ludicrous in their appearance.

9:107 وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مَسْجِدًا ضِرَارًا وَكُفْرًا وَتَفْرِيقًا بَيْنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِرْصَادًا لِّمَنْ حَارَبَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ مِن قَبْلُ ۚ وَلَيَحْلِفُنَّ إِنْ أَرَدْنَا إِلَّا الْحُسْنَىٰ ۖ وَاللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ

And those who have taken a mosque to harm and to reject (peace) and to make divisions among the believers, as a place of ambush (gorilla warefare) , for those who have been at war against Allah and His messenger from before, and definitely they swear that their intention is nothing except goodness, and Allah testifies that surely they are definite liars.

These people have taken and symbolized a mosque for their harmful activities and military tactics of ambush and gorilla warfare for those who have been at war with Allah and messenger from before (remember Allah and messenger declaration of war). Their activities cause harm and rejection of peace and divisions among believers, although they testify that their intention is nothing but goodness.

5:64 وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ يَدُ اللَّهِ مَغْلُولَةٌ ۚ غُلَّتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَلُعِنُوا بِمَا قَالُوا ۘ بَلْ يَدَاهُ مَبْسُوطَتَانِ يُنفِقُ كَيْفَ يَشَاءُ ۚ وَلَيَزِيدَنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنْهُم مَّا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ طُغْيَانًا وَكُفْرًا ۚ وَأَلْقَيْنَا بَيْنَهُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاءَ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ۚ كُلَّمَا أَوْقَدُوا نَارًا لِّلْحَرْبِ أَطْفَأَهَا اللَّهُ ۚ وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَسَادًا ۚ وَاللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

And the Yahood say “that hand of Allah is cuffed / tied up”. Their hands are cuffed / tied up and they are cursed with what they have said, both His (Allah’s) hands are outspread He spends how He wills, and what is revealed to you from your Lord definitely increases the majority amongst them in tyranny (i.e. unjustly harsh, cruel) and rejection. We have put enmity and hatred amongst them towards the day of resurrection. Whenever they ignite the fire for war, Allah extinguishes it and they make an effort in the Earth to cause violence and Allah does not love those who are corrupt.

In order to identify ‘Yahood’ as per Quran we will have to recognize from the identification traits that Quran have given for these people. We cannot identify from the labels that people put on themselves. The identification traits of ‘Yahood’ in Quran are those who have fundamentalist type of belief with no tolerance for different belief system. These people can be found in the ultra-orthodox form of all religions and they ignite flames of war which Allah extinguishes.

47:20  وَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَوْلَا نُزِّلَتْ سُورَةٌ ۖ فَإِذَا أُنزِلَتْ سُورَةٌ مُّحْكَمَةٌ وَذُكِرَ فِيهَا الْقِتَالُ ۙ رَأَيْتَ الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيْكَ نَظَرَ الْمَغْشِيِّ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْمَوْتِ ۖ فَأَوْلَىٰ لَهُمْ

Those who believe say, “Why is not a sura sent down (for us)?” thus when a sura of categorical meaning is revealed, and fighting is mentioned therein, you will see those in whose hearts is a disease looking at you with a look of one fainting from death, which is more fitting for them-

Believers who are peaceful people, pray that Allah reveals the true meaning of (ideological) fighting in Al-Kitab. When real meaning of Qital/Fighting (ideological fight) is clarified from ‘Sooras’ of Quran, the people in whose hearts is a disease (see 2:8-12 for the people whose hearts have disease, are the people who like to wage violence/war in earth and they don’t realize that they are themselves the aggressors). These people don’t like this clarification of Qital verses, which is against their sentiments of aggression and their faces show death like features, which is in-fact more apt for them as they love violence and wish to die for it.

47:21 طَاعَةٌ وَقَوْلٌ مَّعْرُوفٌ ۚ فَإِذَا عَزَمَ الْأَمْرُ فَلَوْ صَدَقُوا اللَّهَ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ

Were they to obey and say what is just when they make resolve on a matter, would have been better for them if they were true to Allah.

Had they obeyed the covenant of Allah and said what is truth as per Allah’s Book and stayed firm on the resolve it would have been much better for them.

The forbidden months and implication of those months:

9:5  فَإِذَا انسَلَخَ الْأَشْهُرُ الْحُرُمُ فَاقْتُلُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ وَخُذُوهُمْ وَاحْصُرُوهُمْ وَاقْعُدُوا لَهُمْ كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍ ۚ فَإِن تَابُوا وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ فَخَلُّوا سَبِيلَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

So when the sacred / holy months are ended then fight the associaters (with Allah) wherever you find them and catch them and confine them and sit for them at every place of ambush. So if they repent and establish salah/prayer and give zakah, then leave the way for them. Surely Allah is all forgiving, merciful.

If the above ayat means physical fight/killing, and if the believers would have already killed the associaters then the associaters would not have the chance to turn back and establish Salat and give Zakat as the second part of the ayat orders to leave their way if they do it. If it is not physical fighting then the scenario is that the Holy months are for preparation (with Quran Studies) and after these four Holy months pass then engage the associaters with Jihad e Akbar (The big struggle) with Quran.

9:122-125  وَمَا كَانَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لِيَنفِرُوا كَافَّةً ۚ فَلَوْلَا نَفَرَ مِن كُلِّ فِرْقَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ طَائِفَةٌ لِّيَتَفَقَّهُوا فِي الدِّينِ وَلِيُنذِرُوا قَوْمَهُمْ إِذَا رَجَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَحْذَرُونَ

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَاتِلُوا الَّذِينَ يَلُونَكُم مِّنَ الْكُفَّارِ وَلْيَجِدُوا فِيكُمْ غِلْظَةً ۚ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ  وَإِذَا مَا أُنزِلَتْ سُورَةٌ فَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ أَيُّكُمْ زَادَتْهُ هَٰذِهِ إِيمَانًا ۚ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فَزَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَهُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ  وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَتْهُمْ رِجْسًا إِلَىٰ رِجْسِهِمْ وَمَاتُوا وَهُمْ كَافِرُونَ

It may not be (possible) that all believers go forth together (in faith). if a contingent from every group  devote themselves to studies in Deen/Judgment, and admonish the people when they return to them,- thus they (may learn) to guard themselves (against evil).  O’ you who believe! fight the unbelievers who gird you about, and let them find firmness in you, and know that Allah is with those who fear Him. Whenever there comes down a Sura, some of them say. “Which of you has had his faith increased by it?” , those who believe,- their faith is increased and they do rejoice. But those in whose hearts is a disease,- it will add un-cleanliness to their un-cleanliness, and they will die in a state of rejection.

The above ayas towards the end of Sura Tuaba (9), indicate that going out in the way of Allah, is about devoting to studies in matters of Deen/Judgment. Those people who have disease in their hearts were exposed earlier in Quran in Aya’s 2:8-12, that when they are asked not to make fasad/mischief on Earth they say we are only doing corrections, and they themselves don’t know that they are the aggressors. So these people interpret the above ayahs as Allah asking them to wage war on earth and the disease and uncleanliness in their hearts keep on increasing. As Allah’s intention of Peace are revealed and clarified to believers in Quran, their faith increases, but the people bent on violence, their disbelief increases in the opposite direction.

3:156-8 يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَقَالُوا لِإِخْوَانِهِمْ إِذَا ضَرَبُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ أَوْ كَانُوا غُزًّى لَّوْ كَانُوا عِندَنَا مَا مَاتُوا وَمَا قُتِلُوا لِيَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ ذَٰلِكَ حَسْرَةً فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ  وَلَئِن قُتِلْتُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَوْ مُتُّمْ لَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَحْمَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ  وَلَئِن مُّتُّمْ أَوْ قُتِلْتُمْ لَإِلَى اللَّهِ تُحْشَرُونَ

O you who believe! Be not like the unbelievers, who say of their brethren, when they travel the earth or go for fighting. “If they had stayed with us, they would not have died, or been slain.” So that Allah may make it a cause of sighs and regrets in their hearts. It is Allah who gives life and death, and Allah sees well all that you do. And if you are slain, or die, in the way of Allah, forgiveness and mercy from Allah are far better than what they amass. And if you die, or are slain; you would definitely be gathered together towards Allah.

The party who sets out for invoking understanding of ‘Deen’/judgment in masses, have a tough task of convincing those either hardened in their sectarian teachings or majority of people with little knowledge and strong emotions. In case they are met with some misfortune in their expedition or die, Allah advises the believers not to say wrong things about them as Allah will be rewarding them for their efforts.

The wars attributed to the prophet (pbuh) in history:

Some people may ask, why did the older generations before us glorify holy wars and did not abstain from warfare and physical fighting in the name of religion. Is this something new being propagated to stay away from physical fighting. Allah asks the same question in below ayat so that the present generation (in all eras) can learn from the past generation’s mistakes and take heed.  

11:116 فَلَوْلَا كَانَ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ أُولُو بَقِيَّةٍ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْفَسَادِ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّمَّنْ أَنجَيْنَا مِنْهُمْ ۗ وَاتَّبَعَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مَا أُتْرِفُوا فِيهِ وَكَانُوا مُجْرِمِينَ

Why were there not, among the generations before you, persons possessed of balanced good sense, prohibiting from fasad/mischief in the earth – except a few among them whom We saved? But the wrong-doers pursued the enjoyments which were given to them, and they were criminals.

Lets review those ayahs which are thought to be related to traditional wars in Islamic history at the time of Prophet (pbuh) i.e Badr, Ohad and Hunain.

2:26-27  إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَسْتَحْيِي أَن يَضْرِبَ مَثَلًا مَّا بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا ۚ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِهَٰذَا مَثَلًا ۘ يُضِلُّ بِهِ كَثِيرًا وَيَهْدِي بِهِ كَثِيرًا ۚ وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِ إِلَّا الْفَاسِقِينَ  الَّذِينَ يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مِيثَاقِهِ وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ

Allah does not shy away from citing the example of a mosquito, or anything above it. As for those who believe, they know that it is the truth from their Lord. As for the rejecters, they Say: What does Allah intend with this example? He lets many stray by it, and He guides many, but He does not let let any stray with it except the fasiqeen/evil-doers. Those who break Allah’s Covenant after it is ratified, and who cutoff what Allah Has ordered to be joined, and do violence on earth, they are the losers.

Many times we hear people quoting a part of above ayahs that Allah guides lot of people with Al-Quran and at the same time many people are mis-guided with Quran. But misguided are only those who are ‘Fasiqeen’ (wrong doers) as per above ayas. Those fasiq’s who break the covenant of Allah. The covenant of Allah is stated in below ayat 2:84, which categorically asks Bani-Israeel not to shed their blood with physical fighting. The examples of fight in Quran are cited for believer’s ideological fight with aggressors on earth. However these people who are bent upon physical fighting as Holy wars, cannot accept that the fighting examples cited by Allah are for ideological fight in which you are prohibited to shed blood and kill the nafs/psyche only of rejecters. When they break the covenant of not shedding blood they become ‘fasiq’ who get misguided by Al-Quran into raging violence and blood shed on earth in the garb of Holy wars. 

2:84 وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَكُمْ لَا تَسْفِكُونَ دِمَاءَكُمْ وَلَا تُخْرِجُونَ أَنفُسَكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ ثُمَّ أَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَشْهَدُونَ

And when We took a covenant with you, not to shed your blood and do not expel your souls/selves from your circles then you confirmed and you are witness to it.

Allah created and established His laws in the Universe. He sent the code of conduct for humanity to follow in the World and sent his messengers and prophets to explain His ‘Word’ to mankind. People after getting knowledge about Allah’s message, differed among themselves and formed themselves into many differing religions and schools of thoughts. Allah’s message to mankind is that they are to do good and lead peaceful life in the world and not to engage in violence and temptations in the world and they will be judged in the hereafter for their deeds. However, deviant schools of thoughts developed who made it appear a virtuous act of forcing one’s belief system on others by use of force. Allah’s messengers were sent repeatedly to direct people to revert to Allah’s Word and leave alternative teachings.
Allah’s book tells us that majority of the people in the world are not on the right path as majority don’t take their guidance from the Book of Allah. A person who is born in a particular religion and school of thought, initially accepts the ideas and beliefs of the environment in which he is born. Then at some point in life, he is presented with the ayahs/signs of Allah. If he accepts the divine message, then this journey on Allah’s straight path starts. The people in his environment wants him back in their system of belief. They try their best however when they don’t succeed they say what Allah has described in ayahs 2-142-143.

After a believer takes the major decision of ‘migration in belief‘ from his previous belief system to the belief system as prescribed in Quran and continuing his spiritual journey towards Allah, a believer will grow in his belief and understanding of the spirit of ayahs. This will show in his behavior with disbelievers when engaged in ideological fight with them. 

48:29  مُّحَمَّدٌ رَّسُولُ اللَّهِ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ تَرَاهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانًا ۖ سِيمَاهُمْ فِي وُجُوهِهِم مِّنْ أَثَرِ السُّجُودِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مَثَلُهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ ۚ وَمَثَلُهُمْ فِي الْإِنجِيلِ كَزَرْعٍ أَخْرَجَ شَطْأَهُ فَآزَرَهُ فَاسْتَغْلَظَ فَاسْتَوَىٰ عَلَىٰ سُوقِهِ يُعْجِبُ الزُّرَّاعَ لِيَغِيظَ بِهِمُ الْكُفَّارَ ۗ وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ مِنْهُم مَّغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

Muhammad is the messenger of Allah; and those who are with him are strong against unbelievers, (but) compassionate amongst each other. You will see them bow and prostrate themselves, seeking grace from Allah and (His) good pleasure. On their faces are their marks, the traces of their prostration. This is their similitude in the Taurat; and their similitude in the Injeel, like a seed which sends forth its blade, then makes it strong; it then becomes thick, and it stands on its own stem, (filling) the sowers with wonder and delight. As a result, it fills the unbelievers with rage at them. Allah has promised those among them who believe and do righteous deeds, forgiveness and a great reward.

In the initial stage of spiritual journey towards Allah, a believers feels left alone in the world as he does not relate to the religious beliefs of his close community any more. He also listens a lot of annoying things from the associaters around him. The believer in initial stages may not have answers to many questions to respond to them. This situation may bring him into a depressive state. At this time the messenger (invoked in one’s psyche/nafs) consoles the believer and Allah sends unseen forces to help the believer in upholding the Word of Allah against the word of unbelievers. 

9:40  إِلَّا تَنصُرُوهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ اللَّهُ إِذْ أَخْرَجَهُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ثَانِيَ اثْنَيْنِ إِذْ هُمَا فِي الْغَارِ إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَاحِبِهِ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَنَا ۖ فَأَنزَلَ اللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَيَّدَهُ بِجُنُودٍ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا السُّفْلَىٰ ۗ وَكَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

If you people won’t help him, Allah did indeed help him, when the unbelievers drove him out. He was the second of the two when; they two were in the cave (deep in despair), and he said to his companion, “Have no fear, for Allah is with us”. Then Allah sent down His peace upon him, and strengthened him with forces which you people did not see, and made the sayings of the rejecters lowly and the Word of Allah is exalted one for Allah is Exalted in Might, Wise.

Early in their spiritual journey when the believers are supposedly not that strong to take on, stalwarts of unbelief in ideological fight, Allah helps them. Badr means ‘early or spontaneously’. The below ayat is referring to an early stage of believers when they were helped by Allah and got victory over the rejecters.

3:123  وَلَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ بِبَدْرٍ وَأَنتُمْ أَذِلَّةٌ ۖ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

And Allah had helped you with Badr/forthwith, when you were weak; thus take guard of Allah; so that you be thankful.

For those people who are stuck with false beliefs and dogmas and unable to submit to the message of God, Al-Quran cites the examples of them as having yokes stuck in their necks. ‘Banan’, means finger tips, fixed things and also grips. So the angels are asked to strike at the necks where they have fixated yokes and also to strike their fingers/grips on false-hood on which the rejecters are holding tight. The angels help the believers in their ideological fight by making them stead fast in their beliefs and striking the very foundations of belief systems of the unbelievers. 

8:12  إِذْ يُوحِي رَبُّكَ إِلَى الْمَلَائِكَةِ أَنِّي مَعَكُمْ فَثَبِّتُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ۚ سَأُلْقِي فِي قُلُوبِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا الرُّعْبَ فَاضْرِبُوا فَوْقَ الْأَعْنَاقِ وَاضْرِبُوا مِنْهُمْ كُلَّ بَنَانٍ

Remember your Lord inspired the angels, “I am with you, so you make the believers persevere. I will instill awe in the hearts of the rejecters, thus you strike above the necks and strike among them all the fixed ones/grips.”

Thus with an early and forthwith help from Allah, believers are encouraged and as per ayat 48:29 keep on gaining spiritual strength by the will of Allah. However, getting understanding of the spirit of ayahs is not an instantaneous process. It comes with the will of Allah only, and for some it may take a lot of time to make them impatient. 

20:114  فَتَعَالَى اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ ۗ وَلَا تَعْجَلْ بِالْقُرْآنِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يُقْضَىٰ إِلَيْكَ وَحْيُهُ ۖ وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا

High above all is Allah, the King of the Truth! be not in haste with the Qur’an before it’s inspiration to you is completed, but say, “O my Lord! advance me in knowledge.”

The ayat 20:114 should be a reminder to believers that even the messenger (pbuh) cannot be hasty with Quran before the Spirit of it, is inspired on him. Therefore there is no way that believers can force their way in getting spirit of Quran until the time decreed by Allah.

The below ayahs informs about another stage when believers have achieved some intellectual maturity and knowledge. It seems at this stage some of them become over-confident and assume that they can take on any unbeliever in ideological fight. Some of them even get tempted to do it as a show off of their knowledge to gain admiration of people. They get some initial successes which makes them keep going at it, however, forcing your way in understanding of ayas without Spirit of Allah is tantamount to making your voice louder than the prophet (pbuh) and in this way, those who do it, would end up conflicting with each other and are then faced with one distress after another.

3:152-3 وَلَقَدْ صَدَقَكُمُ اللَّهُ وَعْدَهُ إِذْ تَحُسُّونَهُم بِإِذْنِهِ ۖ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فَشِلْتُمْ وَتَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ وَعَصَيْتُم مِّن بَعْدِ مَا أَرَاكُم مَّا تُحِبُّونَ ۚ مِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ الدُّنْيَا وَمِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ الْآخِرَةَ ۚ ثُمَّ صَرَفَكُمْ عَنْهُمْ لِيَبْتَلِيَكُمْ ۖ وَلَقَدْ عَفَا عَنكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ تُصْعِدُونَ وَلَا تَلْوُونَ عَلَىٰ أَحَدٍ وَالرَّسُولُ يَدْعُوكُمْ فِي أُخْرَاكُمْ فَأَثَابَكُمْ غَمًّا بِغَمٍّ لِّكَيْلَا تَحْزَنُوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلَا مَا أَصَابَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ

Allah did indeed made true His promise to you when you, with His permission overwhelmed them,-until you lost courage and disputed in the order, and disobeyed after He brought you in sight of what you covet. Among you are some who are after the World and some who desire the Here-after. Then He diverted you from them in order to test you, and indeed He forgave you, for Allah is full of grace to those who believe. When you were climbing up, without turning back to anyone, and the messenger was calling you from behind, there did Allah gave you one distress after another so that you do not grieve for what had escaped you and for (the ill) that had befallen you, for Allah is well aware of all that you do.

Believers cannot force the Spirit of the Word and when they would forge ahead and engage in ideological fight with rejecters before the proper time, then they are bound to be defeated. After defeat they will be facing grief and in their grief, a party of them may start thinking that all this spiritual journey so far may have been wasteful and even false. 

3:154  ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن بَعْدِ الْغَمِّ أَمَنَةً نُّعَاسًا يَغْشَىٰ طَائِفَةً مِّنكُمْ ۖ وَطَائِفَةٌ قَدْ أَهَمَّتْهُمْ أَنفُسُهُمْ يَظُنُّونَ بِاللَّهِ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ ظَنَّ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ ۖ يَقُولُونَ هَل لَّنَا مِنَ الْأَمْرِ مِن شَيْءٍ ۗ قُلْ إِنَّ الْأَمْرَ كُلَّهُ لِلَّهِ ۗ يُخْفُونَ فِي أَنفُسِهِم مَّا لَا يُبْدُونَ لَكَ ۖ يَقُولُونَ لَوْ كَانَ لَنَا مِنَ الْأَمْرِ شَيْءٌ مَّا قُتِلْنَا هَاهُنَا ۗ قُل لَّوْ كُنتُمْ فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ لَبَرَزَ الَّذِينَ كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقَتْلُ إِلَىٰ مَضَاجِعِهِمْ ۖ وَلِيَبْتَلِيَ اللَّهُ مَا فِي صُدُورِكُمْ وَلِيُمَحِّصَ مَا فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ

After the distress, He sent down calm on you which encompassed slumber on a party of you, while another party was stirred to anxiety, moved by wrong suspicions on Allah due to ignorance. They said. “Do we have any any say in the order?” You (the Messenger) tell them. “Indeed, the order is fully for Allah.” They hide in their nafs/psyche what they do not reveal to you. They say “If we had anything to do with this order, We would not have been killed here.” Say. “Even if you were in your homes, those for whom fight is written, would be brought to their places “; but (all this was) that Allah might test what is in your breasts and purge what is in your hearts, for Allah knows well the secrets of the hearts.

After the distress and defeat in ideological fight, causes some of them to go to their pre-belief assumptions and some of them may start doubting the messenger. They think they should have some leeway in understanding of Allah’s Orders. Some start doubting why we had to fight in that manner. At that stage to some of them, Satan was able to dissuade for the time being, however, they were forgiven by Allah. 

3:155 إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْا مِنكُمْ يَوْمَ الْتَقَى الْجَمْعَانِ إِنَّمَا اسْتَزَلَّهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ بِبَعْضِ مَا كَسَبُوا ۖ وَلَقَدْ عَفَا اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ

Those of you who turned back on the day the two accumulations met,-it was Satan who caused them to falter, with some (evil) they had earned and certainly Allah forgave them for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing.

3:172  الَّذِينَ اسْتَجَابُوا لِلَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا أَصَابَهُمُ الْقَرْحُ ۚ لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا مِنْهُمْ وَاتَّقَوْا أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ

Those who responded to Allah and the Messenger, after that a wound has been inflicted on them; Those people of them who do right and take guard of Allah, there is a great reward;-

Usually when one receives a psychological hurt in (related to religious belief) it forces one to ponder deeply and question into the belief system he has been taught from his upbringing. Those people who recognize the Truth from Allah’s ayahs and respond to Allah and his messener and make corrections in their belief and in their deeds, they will get great rewards from Allah.

Hunain

There may come yet another stage, when believers would have gained a lot of spiritual strength, knowledge and maturity and they would be in good number as well. That would make them over confident and they would take the opposition lightly, at that time they would face unexpected defeat from their opposition. 

9:25  لَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ فِي مَوَاطِنَ كَثِيرَةٍ ۙ وَيَوْمَ حُنَيْنٍ ۙ إِذْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ كَثْرَتُكُمْ فَلَمْ تُغْنِ عَنكُمْ شَيْئًا وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ ثُمَّ وَلَّيْتُم مُّدْبِرِينَ

Indeed, Allah had helped you in many places and on the day of ‘Hunain’ your great number elated you, but they availed you nothing and the land despite its vastness became constrained for you and you had to retreat on your backs.

Then after their defeat due to their over confidence, Allah would help them and punished the rejecters.  

9:26  ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِ وَعَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَنزَلَ جُنُودًا لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَعَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَاءُ الْكَافِرِينَ

Then Allah poured His calm on the messenger and the believers and sent those forces which you did not see and punished the rejecters thus is the reward of the rejecters.

The best advice Quran gives for conduct with your enemies as below:

41:34 وَلَا تَسْتَوِي الْحَسَنَةُ وَلَا السَّيِّئَةُ ۚ ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ

Nor is the good conduct equivalent to evil conduct. Return (Evil) with what is better, thus (you would find) with the one between you and him was enmity, would become your intimate friend.

Notes:

Excerpt from Lane’s dictionary:

Link to lectures of scholar Mohammad Shaikh on topics of ‘Phycological killing, War and Jihad is given below:

https://www.iipccanada.com/category/english-video-lectures/govern-yourself/

Riba and Allah and His messenger’s declaration of ‘Harab/War’ with those who eat Riba:

Riba is not interest. The Arabic word for Interest is ‘Faida’. Ar-Riba is that increase which you would make in your wealth by not paying the prescribed ‘Zakat’ charity in Quran. Zakat/charity in Quran is applicable on believers only. Those believers who don’t pay the prescribed Zakat/charity from their wealth are warned to be ready for a war with Allah and his Messenger. The declaration of war in Quran is against the believers who eat the Riba/the increase 2:278-279.

Ayat 275 mentions those people who equate the word ‘Riba’ in Quran with a ‘deal’. Deal is something which is agreed between two parties. Allah is not against the deals that people do in commercial transactions (including bank deals), but He is against those who don’t pay the prescribed Zakat and increase their wealth with this money. So those people who equate Ar-Riba with ‘commercial deal’, they are described as those who appear crazy with the impetus of Satan. They would be appearing and acting ludicrously.

2:275  الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ الرِّبَا لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ الَّذِي يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنَ الْمَسِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا الْبَيْعُ مِثْلُ الرِّبَا ۗ وَأَحَلَّ اللَّهُ الْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبَا ۚ فَمَن جَاءَهُ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ فَانتَهَىٰ فَلَهُ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمْرُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ 

Those who eat AR-RIBA,  do not take a stand except like he, who stands to madness from the touch of s Satan. That is because they say that AL-BAI / THE DEAL  is the example of AR-RIBA / THE INCREASE . And Allah has made AL-BAI / THE DEAL  lawful and has made AR-RIBA / THE INCREASE unlawful, so he to whom comes the sermon from his Lord then abstains (from eating Riba), that is past for him. And his affair is towards Allah, and whosoever returns (to eating Riba) , then they are the companions of the fire. They will live forever in it.

Concept of abrogation of ayahs:

Please see previous post for the concept of abrogation of Ayahs.

It is unfortunate that many past scholars couldn’t reconcile the ayah’s showing the peaceful message of Al-Quran with those ayas of fighting. They could not reconcile their understanding because they failed to distinguish physical with non physical fighting. So, what they did was that they declared a lot of ayah’s of Al-Quran as ‘Mansookh’ i.e invalid. Imagine their insolence and dare, to declare ayahs of Al-Quran as non valid despite clear ayat in Quran that all it’s ayahs are established and no authority or such declaration from the Prophet (pbuh) himself. Please see previous post on abrogation of ayah on link (https://topicsfromquran.com/2018/02/08/concept-of-abrogation-of-ayas/)

Links to lecture of scholar Mohammad Shaikh in Urdu on the topic of psychological fighting, War and Jihad: https://www.iipccanada.com/category/urdu-video-lectures/nafsiat-ki-hukumrani/